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June 2, 2005 ... There might a cave dweller somewhere in New England who may not know the man affectionately known as Big Papi, but it's a pretty safe bet everybody else knows who David Ortiz is, especially after his walkoff three-run homer off Orioles closer B.J. Ryan, delivered Boston's 6-4 victory at Fenway Park. When Ortiz's shot rocketed on a line toward center field and landed with a thud on the black canvas covering a small section of the bleachers, his teammates thundered out of the dugout toward home plate, where they waited for Ortiz. Even Sox principal owner John W. Henry asked in an e-mail, "Has there ever been a greater clutch hitter in Red Sox history than David?" The Red Sox needed heroics on a day when it looked as if they might lose their second straight to the first-place Orioles. The Sox were trailing, 4-3, when they came up in the ninth. Embattled Keith Foulke had surrendered the go-ahead run in the top of the inning. David Newhan led off with an infield single and stole second. Newhan was sacrificed to third before Foulke walked Miguel Tejada (intentionally) and Sammy Sosa to load the bases. Newhan scored on a fielder's choice by Rafael Palmeiro. Ryan, a tall lefthander, entered the game leading the league in appearances (now 28) and a gaudy strikeout rate (13.67 per nine innings) and only one blown save in 11 opportunities. After Johnny Damon flied to deep center, Mark Bellhorn reached on an infield hit to third base. Kevin Youkilis was next and struck out. Edgar Renteria, who was 0 for 3, took a quick glance toward third base and saw Melvin Mora playing back. Renteria shocked everyone when he dropped a perfect bunt that froze Mora and continued an inning that could have been over then and there. Manager Terry Francona confirmed that it was Renteria reading the situation. Ortiz came up and he knew he was about to get a rash of 92-mile-per-hour fastballs up and in. He had homered against Ryan last July 28, and hoped he could get that type of swing on the ball. On a 3-and-2 pitch, Ortiz got all of it. Though he failed in his bid to go 7-0, Sox starter Matt Clement was solid again, allowing just six hits in six innings, though he blew a 3-1 lead in the sixth. The Sox got to rookie Hayden Penn, making his second major league start, with a run in the first when Ortiz's ground out scored Youkilis, who led off with a double to left-center. He took third on Renteria's fly to right. In the fourth, the Sox rallied to take the 3-1 lead on Jason Varitek's two-run double down the left-field line. The Sox had a golden chance to blow the game open in the seventh, loading the bases on a hit, a hit batsman, and an error. But the threat ended when Manny Ramirez grounded out. But heroics were to come. Ortiz hit the long ball, his fifth walk-off homer as a member of the Red Sox. |
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